Subscribe to Desicritics
The Birth Centenary of Bhagat Singh
aatish
(Death, that terrifies most in this world, is what brings me happiness. It is in Death alone that one finds eternal bliss.)
- Kabir doha recited by Bhagat Singh when conveyed the judgement on his death sentence.
September 27th is the birth centenary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.
It may not be a false statement to assert that one hundred years after his birth, Bhagat Singh is, at best, a name to be remembered ritually. His brief life indeed finds a mention every year, generally on his death anniversary - 23 March, and then his ideas are conveniently forgotten.
In the age of trickle down economics when youngsters learn to balance college studies with a job in the BPO around the corner, his message is perhaps irrelevant to many of those who are in the same age group as he was when he climbed the gallows.
Bhagat Singh was 23 years 5 months and 25 days old when he was hanged by the British government.
Despite Mahatma Gandhi's pacifism and opposition to capital punishment he made no attempts to stop the hanging. Some consider it to be one of the worst political mistakes that he made.
But it is a tribute to the young man that his pictures are the only ones, along with Dr Ambedkar, that can be found in all parts of the country today. He is owned by the Arya Samajis as well as the Communists, by the Bollywood mucksters as well as Dalit organizations, by the Khalistanis as well as the Hindutva brigade.
It may be difficult to fully understand why Bhagat Singh, and why not Chandrasekar Azad or many of those from other movements like the Chittagong Armoury raid participants, is still given an honour that is denied to many other participants in the less pacifist strands of the Indian freedom movement.
One of these reasons is undoubtedly that Bhagat Singh personified the thinking terrorist. It is amazing to see the maturity that he brings to the table in his essay Why I am an Athiest. He was a vociferous reader and perhaps one of the few revolutionary leaders who read so profusely till the end.
His passionate embrace of death was underlined by a deep social commitment that envisaged an egalitarian society that went beyond the struggle for independence from British colonialism. Freedom may have come to some, but for many it is still a distant dream.
Which is why Bhagat Singh and Dr. Ambedkar can still be seen on dilapidated walls and off colour posters across the country.
The Birth Centenary of Bhagat Singh
RSS:
- Subscribe to RSS 2.0 feeds for:
- » Comments on this article
- » Politics
- » Culture: History
- » Politics: India
- » Desicritics.org articles by aatish
- » All Opinion articles
- » All Desicritics.org articles
Tanay
URL
September 28, 2006
03:33 AM
Aatish : Bhagat Singh does not remain an individual now, as Mahatma Gandhi remains no individual. He has emerged as symbol of most radical nationalist movement against imperialism and colonialism. He represents the highest ideals of Indian revolutionary movement and he is iconic symbol all other revolutionary movements...
Bhagat Singh is one among many national heroes, whom Dalits and minorities, who form a large chunk of Indian society are ready to accept as their Hero, because of his radical views on untouchability and communalism etc.. Alongwith Dr. Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh also has an appeal for Dalits of this nation.
In context of misuse of religion by some fundamentalist groups in our society, Bhagat Singh's ideas on religion or atheism can work as an antidote to counter such views.. His popularity is well accepted as a number of movies based on his life have been released in Bollywood.Yes,its true that in this age of fast life and quick bucks such stalwarts have become wall hangings on dilapidated walls or in old Govt offices..
temporal
URL
September 28, 2006
11:04 AM
aatish:
well written!...youth is associated with dynamism...he died young...and his views find resonance with the youth ...he lived and personified the dream of rang de basanti
tanay:
well said!
DesiGirl
URL
September 28, 2006
06:44 PM
There are LOADS of thyagis Down South, who gave their lives for freedom. Who knows their names today? How many Indians know who Vanchinathan is?
aatish
URL
September 29, 2006
04:07 PM
Tanay: It is the marginalized that need heroes more desperately, I guess.
temporal: I wish that support extended beyond watching movies !
Desigirl: The key difference between Bhagat Singh and most other revolutionaries is that he looked far beyond the immediate achievement of political freedom. As one commentator on this post on my blog has put it:
"His worldview was based on seeing nation as people and not as some myth and seeing freedom as freedom from injustice and oppression not just freedom from the british rule."
After Jawaharlal, he was perhaps the most forward looking Indian freedom fighter.
Add your comment
(Or ping: http://desicritics.org/tb/3139)